Blame It On My Youth
by kellylover
Summary: "He wanted so badly to tell her the truth, that he was there because he couldn't bear to live his life without her. But he didn't think it was fair to tell her now, just as she was deciding to move on with her life, that he had always loved her." Set during "99 Loses CONTROL" and strictly discussed the episode and immediate aftermath.


**Blame It On My Youth**

**kellylover**

Maxwell Smart didn't know what to do with his hands.

Beside him, Agent 99 of CONTROL was gazing out of the airplane window to her left, lost in her own tired thoughts. Her right hand was resting peacefully on the collapsible tray in front of her, and Max wanted nothing more in the world, at that moment, than to reach out and take her hand.

He tried to repress the urge by occupying his hands in various activities. He got out a cigarette and, after offering one to 99, began to smoke. But Max always preferred to smoke with his right hand. So instead, he tried to put his left in his pocket, but with the fresh wound on his left arm, that proved to be an almost impossible task. He started to reach for a magazine when suddenly, noticing his fidgety manner, 99 removed the temptation by taking his hand herself.

"Max, are you alright?" she asked quietly, placing her palm in his. She used her thumb to stroke just below his own. Putting on a confidence he didn't feel, he said:

"Of course I'm alright, 99. Why wouldn't I be?" She smiled.

"No reason," 99 replied, shrugging a little. She then returned her attention to the window and the passing clouds.

Now that he was holding 99's hand, Max felt much more relaxed. He sank back into his chair and rested his head. And though he was a little tired, he had slept like a baby the night before and was unable to go to sleep. Instead, his mind kept running over the events of the day before.

It had only been a little more than 24 hours ago that Max had stepped off the plane and on to Saint Germaine Island, ready to bring 99 back to Washington at all costs.

The casino hadn't been hard to find. It took up a large portion of the island with the hotel included, only further confirming Max's impression that Victor Royale was not only handsome and persuasive, but also filthy rich. And though he made a fair amount as an agent at CONTROL, Max could never offer 99 what she stood to gain by marrying Victor.

After meeting Royale, more quickly than he had expected, and securing his position as Victor's bodyguard, Max got busy familiarizing himself with the casino and looking for any chinks in Royale's armor. He knew that if couldn't convince 99 that marrying Victor would mean the wrong kind of life for her, he would have to find some way to convince her that Victor himself was wrong for her.

By then it was two o'clock in the afternoon, and before he knew it he was being summoned to Royale's private suite where he was only slightly surprised to find 99 with a glass of champagne. 99, on the other hand, was very surprised to see him. He could tell when she first looked him in the eyes. Victor introduced them, revealing to him what he believed to be 99's real name. Max swallowed his anger and instinctively, though possessively, kissed 99's hand, only letting it go with the greatest of reluctance. At that moment the phone rang and Max noticed, while Royale was on the phone, that 99 was drinking champagne in the middle of the day. He gave her a look of disapproval while Victor excused himself to take care of casino business. On his way out of the room, however, Victor stopped to kiss 99 on the cheek. Max's heart fell to the pit of his stomach as he watched her lean her cheek against Victor's lips, and he was grateful when Victor left the room.

"Max, what on earth are you doing here?" 99 asked as soon as they were alone.

Ignoring her inquiry, Max first attacked her for never sharing her name during all their time together at CONTROL. Though he had never asked, it was true, it was only because he had liked knowing her as Agent 99 and not as anyone else. That was the way he preferred it. And he told her so. But 99 insisted, "Victor wouldn't want to marry that kind of girl."

Max was floored when he heard 99 tell him that the work she had done to protect her country, the work they had done together, the work for which she had risked her life time and time again, could be viewed as anything other than admirable to a good, respectable man. He could understand 99 not wanting to tell Victor about her work at CONTOL for security reasons, but he would never excuse anyone thinking of 99 as less desirable for the hard work she had put toward protecting her nation.

Max didn't get a chance to tell her these things because she immediately returned his attention to the question she most wanted to know: what was he doing on Saint Germaine Island.

He wanted so badly to tell her the truth, that he was there because he couldn't bear to live his life without her. But he didn't think it was fair to tell her now, just as she was deciding to move on with her life, that he had always loved her. So he weaved her a web of lies instead, about how fed up he was with his life at CONTROL and how he wanted to live a life of luxury and glamour and power.

"Max, is this the only reason you're here?" she asked, sounding unconvinced.

"Yes, it is," he intoned, looking up at her.

"And you're sure this is the kind of life you want?"

"Are you sure this is the kind of life _you_ want?" Max parroted back, looking deep into her eyes. She blinked.

"Of course, Max," she replied, a little surprised. "Victor's so…" she paused, and Max silently rejoiced, as she searched for the right words before settling on, "considerate and kind and gentle."

"Aren't you taking things a little fast, though?" Max insisted. She crossed her arms.

"No, Max, I don't think we are taking things too fast," she snapped back. "I've known Victor for over a year. And besides, a girl only has so long before she becomes an old maid. It's not like I have unlimited opportunities, you know."

Max smirked and replied, "I'm sure you have plenty of opportunities back in Washington, 99."

"No, Max," she answered curtly, "I don't. I haven't seen anyone else in a year." Max swallowed. "Victor's a good man, Max."

Ashamed of his outburst, Max took another drag on his cigarette.

"And what's more," 99 continued on, gaining steam, "I thought that I was never going to see you again! I told you I'd come to see you before I left CONTROL and when I came to see you, you were gone!" Max swallowed again. "Over two years we were partners, and I thought you had left without even saying goodbye! I looked all over the building! I even went to your apartment! But you left without so much as a note!"

"I'm sorry, 99," Max said softly. "I wasn't thinking. I should have left a note." 99 nodded. "But you're my best friend, 99. I wouldn't have let you go without saying goodbye if I thought we would never see each other again." 99's eyes opened in surprise. "Even if I weren't here now, I would have found a way to see you again." Max looked pleadingly into her eyes.

99 was taken aback. She opened her mouth as if to speak and then shook her head slightly. "Max," she finally began, "I don't–"

But just then the door opened and in walked Victor himself. "Ah, Max," he said, striding over to 99 and wrapping an arm around her, "what did I tell you? Utterly charming, is she not?"

Returning his face to neutral, Max replied, "Very much so. If you'll excuse me, Monsieur Royale, Miss Hilton, I'll be getting back to the casino."

So Max left 99 alone with Victor and patrolled the gaming floor, stopping only briefly for dinner, until later that evening when he heard from Louis that Royale was having too good of a time with his future bride. It was only after that when Max found it was too much to stay away from 99. He took his position outside of Royale's quarters, where he could hear music and laughing floating out into the hallway. He started smoking and pacing back and forth, and before he knew it he was on his fourth cigarette and dinner was being delivered to the room. After hearing an eyewitness account of how well Royale was getting along with 99, Max finally put out his cigarette and pressed his ear to the door.

He heard Royale speaking French, and from what Max could tell, it sounded as though he had proposed something much too suggestive for a nice girl like 99. He held his breath as he waited for her reply and sighed when he heard her agree.

After he barged into the room, of course, he realized that the only thing Victor had asked 99 to do was dance. Luckily, Royale's phone began to ring again and distracted him from Max's interruption. Max noticed, as Victor answered the phone, that 99 was drinking champagne again, and, deciding that she had rather enough to drink for one day, took it away from her. They exchanged only glances while Royale was on the phone and while he excused himself once more, giving 99 back her champagne before he left, which Max promptly took.

It wasn't until later that Max realized what had taken Royale out of the room, what had exposed him as more than a stranger to 99.

Max hadn't even intended to bring the picture that Louis had found among his belongings. When he dashed home to pack after leaving 99's office the day before, Max was in a hurry. It just so happened, as he was digging through his dresser drawers, he had come across the photo of he and 99 that he had hidden years before.

It was during the first year of their partnership, immediately after the infamous Herr Bunny case. When the case was finally over, after he had thrown himself in front of 99 and taken the dart that was meant for her, after he had realized that he was falling in love with her, they had been tasked with escorting the cleanup crew around the department store. As they arrived at the room where all of the dolls were stored, Max picked one up and began to demonstrate how KAOS had been smuggling information out of the store. While the crews snapped pictures of the setup, Max had wandered back to 99.

"Max," she beckoned as he drew near, "I wanted to thank you for throwing yourself in front of that gun. It could have meant your life." She kissed his cheek then, and pulled back saying, "It was a very sweet gesture."

Max blushed a bit and replied softly, "You're welcome, 99." When she turned back to survey the scene, Max took the opportunity to return her kiss, pressing his lips lightly against her cheek. It was only later that he learned that Larabee had snapped a picture of the moment. And it took a lot of empty threats before he had the negative and accompanying photo safely in his possession, which he promptly hid in his sock drawer.

But when Max came across the picture while packing for his trip to Saint Germaine Island, he had picked it up and thrown it in his suitcase as a reminder of that day and the revelation that had come with it. The revelation that brought him to the island in the first place. The unshakable knowledge that he was in love with 99.

He should have realized that bringing it with him would only get him into trouble. But he foolishly thought that his luggage would be safe and ended up paying the price.

It had been that picture that made Royale put him under constant surveillance, and it was the constant surveillance that had tipped Royale off that he and 99 were CONTROL agents.

But at that moment, Max knew none of what Royale knew. Max only knew that 99 was entirely too agreeable as far as he was concerned. And he let her know it as soon as they were alone.

"Egging him on a bit, aren't you?" he said. 99 rolled her eyes.

"Max, he's my fiancé," she replied. "I'm very well not going to sit in a corner and not look at him, am I?"

"And why not?" Max asked defiantly.

"Oh, Max, this is ridiculous." She eyed him suspiciously. "What were you doing outside this room anyway?"

"Well, I'm Royale's bodyguard, aren't I? I was guarding him," he lied matter-of-fact-ly. He glanced at the food that had just been brought in and said, "A little late for supper, isn't it?"

"Max, really!" she exclaimed. "I am a grown woman and I can make my own decisions."

"Alright!" Max replied defensively. "Alright, 99. I'm just trying to look out for you, but if that's the way you want it, that's the way it's going to be. I won't look out for you anymore, won't make any more suggestions. If you don't want me to interfere, I won't interfere."

"Thank you, Max!" she answered curtly. After a moment's pause Max asked:

"You're not staying in here, are you?"

"Of course not, Max!" she indignantly said. Max nodded.

"Good." After another pause, 99 asked quietly:

"Where are you staying?"

"Cottage Four."

"And how long do you plan on staying, Max?" He shrugged.

"I don't know, 99." She nodded. "When's the wedding?"

"I'm not sure, Max," she admitted.

And it was then that Victor returned. "I'm sorry, darling," he said. "Unavoidable business, you know." He turned to Max. "Ah, Monsieur Wheel, kindly return to your post. The casino closes at midnight tonight. Pierre will show you how to shut it down. When you are done, report to me in my office."

"Yes, sir," Max responded and left without a glance at 99.

The rest of that night, all Max could think about was how closely Royale had been holding 99 when they danced, how receptive she was to his arm around her waist. It occupied his mind as he kept an eye on the goings on of the casino. It hounded him when he helped Pierre shut down the gaming floor. And it plagued him still as he started to light his twentieth cigarette of the day.

When he found the rigging on the roulette wheel, Max was elated. He knew then that he had enough to bring 99 back to CONTROL with him and he meant to use it. So he set out to find her.

He looked in her quarters but found them deserted. He looked next in Royale's suite but still she was nowhere to be found. He looked in every hallway and women's bathroom, which were luckily all empty, before finally coming to Victor's office and remembering that he had been asked to return there after helping Pierre shut down the casino.

Max walked in and saw 99 standing alone in Royale's office.

"99," Max said, striding over to her, "where's Royale?" He glanced around the room and started to look behind the desk to make sure they were alone.

"He's not here, Max," she replied. Max looked up at her. "He had some business with Louis. He asked me to tell you to wait here for him."

"That's just as well, 99. I have something to tell you and it's best he doesn't hear it."

"Max, I'm perfectly able to take care of myself. I don't need you to–"

"You don't understand, 99," he interrupted. "He's a crook, 99. You're engaged to a crook."

"Oh really, Max?" she replied. "And how is that?"

"The whole casino is rigged! The house can't lose!" he exclaimed as if it were obvious. "I saw the rigging myself!"

"I don't believe it, Max! I just don't believe it!" she answered, murder in her eyes. "You must be mistaken!"

"But I'm telling you it's true, 99! Your fiancé is a cheat! First, the roulette wheel is rigged!" Max exclaimed, emphasizing his point with his finger on the desk. "Second, the dice are loaded! Third, the slot machines are fixed!" He continued to pound his finger on the desk, accidentally bumping up against some of the switches on the intercom system. "And fourth, he's a–" He was going to say "a cheat" again, but he was distracted as he saw the painting on the wall next to him rise up. He glanced over and watched as a KAOS insignia was revealed and instead said, "A KAOS agent?"

He was looking at 99, but she was looking at the wall. Her eyes were wide with disbelief when she said, as if to answer the question that hung in the air, "Max, I don't understand! It's like a bad dream!"

Max relaxed a bit, glad to know that 99 had no previous knowledge of Royale's evil affiliations. He said, to put her at ease, "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm a bit surprised myself, 99. I knew he was a liar and a cheat, but a spy?"

"But, Max, how could I be so blind?" she asked, clearly upset with herself and still in disbelief. Max felt for her as she looked to him for guidance.

"Just be grateful we found out in time, 99," he reassured her. "You almost made a terrible mistake. Imagine, a CONTROL agent married to a KAOS agent. Who would accept a mixed marriage like that?" He said it to help her forget the worst part of this discovery, but to little effect.

"Well, what are we going to do now, Max?" she asked him.

"First, we phone the chief and tell him all about this place. And then we do the only thing we can do," Max said, puffing out his chest. "We break off the engagement and give him back his ring!" She nodded.

"I know you're right, Max, but it's still hard for me to believe," 99 told him. Max reached out to squeeze her arm reassuringly.

"I know it is, 99. But this will all be over soon. We'll call the chief and then we can get out of here." He reached for the phone and started to connect to the operator when the phone went silent. He jiggled the connection plate and looked over at 99.

"What is it, Max?" she asked, worry creasing her brow.

"The phone just went dead," he answered. As he hung up, he realized that they must have been found out. "Come on, 99," he said, "let's get out of here."

Later that night Max learned, from piecing together what he could from Royale's office as well as 99's version of the events of the day, that Victor had left 99 alone in his office when Max came to meet him for a reason. He had wanted to know how the two of them would interact when they were alone. So Royale plotted to put them into a room with constant surveillance and left them to themselves.

And since Royale had been listening in on their whole conversation, he had been able to cut off all of their escape routes. And it wasn't long before Max and 99 were standing face to face with Victor for the first time without any pretense.

Though 99 had just recently found out about her fiancé's evil character, she was surprisingly supportive of Max. She didn't hesitate or try to spare Victor his life. And she had seemed far more upset about Max's supposed death than the loss of her betrothed. She even turned vicious toward Victor as she clung to Max's seemingly lifeless body. Luckily, thanks to Max's quick wits, the two of them were able to gun down Louis and chase Royale into the night, though Max was shot in the left arm in the process.

As Royale made his escape, Max was able to phone the local police to warn them. He was going to call the chief next and tell him all about Victor's operation, but 99 insisted on tending to his wound first.

"But 99," Max began, "I need to call headquarters and let the chief know what's going on."

"No, Max," she replied, pulling him gently from the phone booth. "We need to take care of that arm first." She bade him follow her as they moved down the hallways of the casino.

"Alright, 99. We'll take care of my arm. Then will you let me call the chief?"

"Of course, Max," she answered, and continued to lead him through the casino and into the hallways of the hotel. Soon they entered her room and shut the door.

"Here, Max, let me help you with that jacket," she offered. Setting his gun down, they carefully slid his jacket over his wounded arm. As Max winced and sighed, she helped him remove his bulletproof cummerbund, his bowtie, and his tuxedo shirt. Though he was still wearing an undershirt, and while it certainly wouldn't have been the first time 99 had seen him without a shirt on, Max felt a little embarrassed, as if she had removed all of his defenses when she had helped him out of his shirt.

99 positioned herself on Max's left, gingerly touching his wound, inspecting it. "Thankfully, this doesn't look too bad, Max," she said. "I should be able to patch it up." Max nodded. "Did you bring your health emergency kit with you?"

"It's in my room.'"

"I'll be right back," she told him and quickly left the room.

While she was gone, Max took the opportunity to look about her quarters. She hadn't been here long, but she had already taken the time to unpack. Of course, Max reminded himself, she had planned on staying for the rest of her life. Thankful that wouldn't be the case he noticed, other than her clothes being neatly put away (Max's eyes rested longer than they should have on her under things), that there were almost no personal items around the room. 99 had no pictures on the bedside tables. No books or records or anything of the sort. Puzzling this to himself, he sat in a chair and waited only a moment before 99 returned with Max's health emergency kit safe in hand.

"Here we are, Max," she said as she returned. "I'll have you fixed in no time."

Max watched as she opened the suitcase and pulled out some minor surgical tools, antiseptic, and bandages. She started to sterilize the tools and told him, "Come sit down, Max." He did as he was told and soon she was standing beside him. She motioned to begin but hesitated and looked at him. "This might hurt a bit. Do you want an anesthetic?"

"No, thank you, 99," he said, braver than he felt. "I'm impervious to pain." She gave him a knowing look and nodded.

The next thing Max knew, white-hot agony seared up his left arm. He winced, flexing his arm muscles and groaning against her probing.

"Max, please," 99 implored. "You have to relax your arm. It's only going to hurt more if you tense up."

"I'll try, 99" he gasped, and stopped flexing. 99 resumed work on his arm, digging her forceps through the blood and flesh until she was able to grab hold of the bullet. Luckily, it had gone in at an angle and hadn't lodged itself very deep into his arm, but Max still huffed against the pain.

"Okay, Max, I've got it," she said, the stress evident in her voice. "I'm going to pull it out, but I need you put pressure on your arm once I do. Just take that cloth," she continued, gesturing with her head in the general direction of the emergency kit, "and press it up against the wound until I can stitch it together. Okay, Max?"

"Okay, 99," he responded through gritted teeth, and used his right arm to grab the nearby cloth. She nodded, took a deep breath, and then pulled.

The bullet, after the initial tug, came easily out of his arm. Unfortunately, so did the blood. Dripping down his arm before she could even remove the bullet, 99 pulled blindly, no longer able to see through the blood, until it was finally gone. Max groaned, but quickly pressed the cloth against the hole in his arm.

"Hurry, 99," he said, gasping. 99 set the bullet down and grabbed the stitching needle. She guided Max's hand until part of the opening was revealed beneath the cloth. Then, poking the needle though his skin, she started to stitch his arm back together.

Eventually, the pain subsided into a dull throb, accompanied by the occasional sharp pinch of the needle going through his skin, and Max started to relax. "I'm almost done, Max," 99 would say, though he knew she was only just beginning. But with every new stitch 99 chimed, "I'm almost done, Max. It's almost over."

He watched and tried to even out his breathing as 99 worked. She was bent over slightly, craning her neck to look at his wound from the best possible vantage point. Her face was contorted, a mixture of stress and disgust and concern etched in her features. After a while, trying to ease the tension in the room, Max said, "So, 99."

She paused mid-stitch and looked up at him. "Yes, Max?"

"What _is_ your name?" A slight smile crossed her face as she shook her head and went back to her work, saying:

"Why do you want to know now?"

"You said you'd never told me because I'd never asked. Well, now I'm asking." He said it as if it were as simple as anything could be, but he knew the question was loaded.

Starting another stitch, 99 replied, "It doesn't matter, Max. No one uses my real name anymore."

"Gee, 99, you think you'd tell your own partner, though," he answered, pretending to pout.

99 glanced up at him as she worked. "Max, everyone who really knows me calls me 99. It's my name now. I don't like to think about who I was before I came to CONTROL. This is who I am now."

"But, 99–"

99 smiled as she interrupted him. "But, Max, I promise that I'll tell you someday. Just not right now." Max went to smile back at her but winced instead as she pushed the needle through his skin. "Just once more, Max," she said, noticing his pain. "One more poke and then it's all over."

True to her word, 99 was soon done and she asked Max to hold the cloth over his arm again. He did as she asked, and she dashed into the bathroom where she washed her hands. When she returned, she soaked another cloth in antiseptic and prepared a bandage. After cleaning his arm, she covered the wound.

"There, Max. All better." She pressed along the tape along the bandage to secure his arm and then lightly squeezed below his wound as if to reassure him. "There might be a scar," she said as she started to clean the mess they had made, "but it'll heal."

"Thanks, 99," he returned. He stood up then, and moved toward the telephone. "I'll call the chief and let him know what's happened. And then I'll call the airport and see what time we can leave tomorrow." He started to dial but stopped himself when he suddenly realized that 99 had never agreed to go back with him. He set the receiver down then and walked back over to where 99 was cleaning up the medical kit.

"99," he said, lightly grabbing her arm as she moved to put something away. She stopped and looked up at him. "You will come back to Washington, won't you?"

She smiled, though her smile was a little sad, and answered, "Of course I will, Max. There's nothing for me here anymore."

"And you'll come back to CONTROL, won't you?"

"Yes, Max." He sighed a breath of relief.

"Good." He moved back to the telephone and soon was talking to the chief on the other line. After giving him the good news, Max hung up and told 99 how pleased the chief had been. Next he called the airport and got tickets for the next morning at 10:30. He told 99 of the arrangement and then said, "I need to go check out Royale's office, 99. There might be some information on KAOS operations in there."

"Okay, Max," she agreed. "I'll stay here and repack my bags." Max smiled a bit.

"I'll be back before I go to bed," he told her. She nodded and then he walked out the door.

It was then that he learned that Royale had put him under constant surveillance and had consequently found out that he had been exposed. Among that intelligence, there was also a large stack of files containing details of his uranium mining operations, as well as some information on KAOS oil operations in the Middle East. After scraping together as much intelligence as he could, Max returned to find 99 nervously pacing in her room.

"99, are you alright?" Max asked, dropping the papers on a nearby table and striding over to her.

"Oh, Max," she said and closed the remaining distance between them, throwing herself into his arms. "Oh, Max, I'm so glad you're back. This place just makes me so nervous now."

Returning her hug, Max asked again, "99, what's wrong?" She pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"Nothing's wrong, Max. I just can't stand to be alone in this building anymore. Please don't leave me alone. It all feels so haunted."

"It's okay, 99," he tried to reassure her. "We'll be leaving tomorrow and it's all over now. You'll go back to your life at CONTROL and everything will be back to normal."

"No, Max, please. Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked quietly, as if ashamed to ask at all. Max swallowed. He knew that finding out your fiancé was a foreign spy was a tough thing to take, but he hadn't realized how much it had affected 99.

"Of course, 99. I'll do whatever you want." She rewarded him with a shy smile. "Can I just run and get my bags? I'll be right back," he promised. 99 nodded and started to let go of him. "I'll be right back," Max repeated.

And he kept his word. He almost ran down the hallways and only paused for a moment when he realized that it had been his most prized possession, the picture he had brought of the two of them, that had given them away. He returned this time to find 99 in the bedroom with the covers drawn in around her as if to shield herself from the haunted feeling in the building.

"Thank goodness you're back, Max," she said as he entered the room.

"Don't worry, 99. You're perfectly safe with me," he replied, setting his suitcase on the floor and digging out his pajamas. "I'm just going to change," he said as he walked into the bathroom.

When he came back, 99 was lying on her side watching him from the far side of the bed. She smiled shyly again as he laid down on his right side, looking back at her. After a moment he broke the silence.

"99, I'm really sorry. I know that you wanted it to work out, and I'm sorry it didn't." Max said it, and it didn't feel like a lie. No matter how much he had wanted her for himself, he had wanted her to be happy more. And her smile turned sad when she replied.

"It's okay, Max. It did all work out. And it worked out for the best. If it weren't for you, I'd have married Victor, and that would have been the worst mistake of all." He nodded to show his understanding. After a beat, 99 began again. "Why did you really come here, Max?"

"99, you know I'm no good without you. The chief hates sending me on solo assignments. I always do so much better with you there." He swallowed. "I need you, 99." She smiled.

"Max, you're a wonderful agent. You don't need me. Without you, I never would have known what Victor was."

"I'm sure you would have figured it out eventually, 99."

"No, Max," she shook her head. "I kept Victor completely separate from my work in my head. I don't think I would have been able to connect the dots." Max's heart sank.

"You must have really loved him," he said softly.

99 sighed. "I won't lie to you, Max. I didn't love him. But I liked him a lot. I was willing to learn to love him. And he loved me. And that was enough."

Max could feel the pressure on his chest, weighing him down. She hadn't loved Victor. But she still would have married him. That knowledge had winded him. He didn't quite know what to think. But when he looked back at her he saw she was lost in her own thoughts of the past and he realized that this night wasn't about him. It wasn't even about them. It was about her and it was about Victor.

"How did you meet him?" Max asked, wishing he didn't have to.

And so she told him. She talked and talked and told him the whole story. About her vacation the year before. About the first time she and Victor had dinner. About the flowers and the proposals and the expensive gifts. She told him about the phone calls, which had been quite regular, and about his continuing proposals. And finally she told him about accepting and coming out to the island.

"What I don't understand, Max," she said as she was wrapping up, "is how he could be so vicious when he was so gentle and tender with me." Max ground his teeth.

"He was tender?" He said it as if it were a passing remark. "And his kissing, must have been pretty good, huh?"

99 chuckled. "Yes, Max. He was a very good kisser."

"Hmm." Max clenched his fist beneath his pillow. After a moment passed, Max, unable to help himself, leaned forward and kissed 99 tenderly on the lips. He pulled back after a second to see how she felt about him kissing her. She looked shocked, but not displeased, so Max lightly placed his left hand on her hip and starting kissing her again. He moved his mouth against hers, and at first she responded. But as he started to lick at her lips and beg for entrance into her mouth, she put her arms on his chest and started to push him away.

"Mmm. No, Max," she said as they separated. She kissed him again. "Not tonight."

He opened his eyes to meet hers. Worry started to crease his brow when 99 smiled slightly and then gave him one last peck on the lips. Then she turned over onto her right side and reached behind her for Max's left arm. When she found it, she pulled it securely around her, while she scooted back, closer and closer to Max until his body perfectly molded around her own. He smiled while he inhaled the scent of her hair, and closed his eyes to sleep for the first time in almost two days.

The next morning when they woke up, they hardly spoke. They got dressed and ate breakfast in relative silence, both of them simply content to be in each other's company. When they reached the airport and boarded the plane, they still barely said anything to one another.

But now, with 99's hand secure within his own, Max found he had something he needed to say.

"99," he called, pulling her thoughts away from the passing clouds. She looked back at him.

"Yes, Max?"

"I'm glad you're coming back to CONTROL, but I really am sorry that it had to be this way." 99 smiled a bit.

"Well, thank you, Max. But you were right. My future is at CONTROL. And I never should have tried to leave it."

"It's still there waiting for you," he replied.

"I can't tell you how happy that makes me," she said softly. She squeezed his hand then, and returned her attention to the window.

And as Max watched her watch the clouds roll by, he knew that he couldn't run away from 99 anymore. He needed her. And it didn't matter the cost. She was his future. And now that he had it back, he wasn't going to let it go.

**Fin.**

**Reviews are the bomb, yo.**


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